Many of my friends rhapsodise about traditional Chinese medicine. But as soon as they develop a serious ailment or a life-threatening condition, they all run to consult a real doctor. Likewise, some of us may think our police are biased and serve only to protect mainland honchos and harass pro-democracy activists. But at the slightest hint of physical danger or threat, they all call 999.

So it is with Alpais Lam Wai-sze, the teacher who shouted abuse at police for their perceived mishandling of a confrontation between Falun Gong followers and a local pro-Beijing group. Now that she has received a death threat, who did she call for help? Don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic to Lam. As a frequent but not very good driver, I often get traffic tickets, but rarely take them lying down. While I was never as liberal with profanity as she was, I am sure I would not look good if captured on a YouTube video.

Whatever sin Lam might have committed, she has repaid many times given the amount of pressure and stress she was subsequently subjected to over the furore. Now a handwritten letter has been sent to her, allegedly by a self-proclaimed "underground Communist Party member", with a box-cutter blade stuck to it. It accused her of being a Falun Gong sympathiser and threatened to kill her. She is asking for police protection and officers are investigating the case.

We know all this because she posted the letter on her Facebook account. We don't know why she went public. But I am sure police will investigate her case properly and offer her protection, if necessary. She now seems to have placed her trust in the force, so it can't have been so awful as she seemed to think the officers were in the original confrontation.

So far, however, Lam has not apologised to the police officers involved. Well, neither have I. I am sure our officers take verbal abuse from the public all the time, and in most cases, respond professionally. "Asia's finest" may be an exaggeration, but generally, our police are just about as good as they come and compare favourably with any overseas police force.

Meanwhile I have resolved to drive more carefully and stop fighting police. Lam, I am sure, feels the same way now.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: